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[Page 2]
them on all sides - In case either of those Bays should turn out to be the Entrance of a large River or Deep Gulph or that you should in the further prosecution of these Instructions discover any considerable River or deep Gulph You are to Navigate up the same as far as the Brig or Sloop can proceed with safety But should it appear that those Bays are not of any great depth & when you have compleated their Survey as far as Weather & circumstances will allow of You will Steer SSE ½ E from Cape Albany Otway when you will fall in with the Land seen by the Harbinger & Margaret which appears to lie SSE½ E 14 or 15 Leagues from the above Cape; The Coasts & Extents of this Land you will carefully explore & endeavour to ascertain if it affords any Shelter for Ships or Smaller Vessels, You will also carefully Survey the Passage between it & Hunters Island lying off the North West point of Van Diemens Land - In case you completely perform the first part of your intended discoveries in such time that the remains of your Provisions may allow the Voyage being extended You are in that case to proceed to King George the Third's Sound in Lat. 35º. 05 S. 110 -17 East Long : & as this place has been Surveyed & described by Capt. Vancouver without losing any time you are to pursue the Coast from King George the Third's Sound to Wilson's Promontory in which you will endeavour to ascertain the true Situation & survey of the Coast within those Points keeping one general object in view, that of going to the head of every Bay or River you may fall in with And as it is the first object to make such a Survey of the Straits as to induce Government to publish it for the advancement of Navigation in general You will not fail pursuing every measure & advantage that may tend to this service being fully & satisfactorily compleated & on which alone must depend your being enabled to pay any attention to the latter part of these instructions - The season being so far advanced You must use your own judgment whether you can with safety to the Vessels persevere in completing this business during the following Months - If you should find the Weather continualy bad I would recommend your ascertaining the extent & exploring of the Land seen by the Margaret & Harbinger & also of the two Bays to the Westward of Wilsons Promontory, previous to your return to this Port.
In performing this & all such further instructions as may be given, you will take particular care to examine with diligence & survey & plan with as much accuracy as circumstances will admit all such Coasts & lay down upon your Chart all such Soundings as you think likely to prove usefull for the guidance of those who may navigate along those Shores in future, & pay especial regard to the Examination & accurate Delineations of all such Harbours as you may discover & judge to be commodious for the reception of Shipping, & also of such Shoals & other Dangers as you may from time to time meet with - To fix in all cases when in your power the positions both in Lat. & Long. of remarkable Head Lands Bays &